Sheet handling apparatus



March 27, 1945. 1 slNKovlTz v SHEET HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 10,1941 3 Sheets-Sheet ,l

INVENTOR M V .m

S M J.

March 27, 1945. J. slNKOVlTZ 2,372,229

SHEET HANDLING APPARATUS Filed oct. 10, 1941A s sheets-sheet' 2 iINVENTOR Jose/0h SinKoV/'z Mal'Ch 27, 1945. J. slNKovn-z SHEET HANDLNGAPPARATUS Filed oct. 10, 1941 s sheets-sheet s LQQQMLH Patented Mar. 27,1945 SHEET HANDLING APPARATUS i Joseph Slnkovitz,` Pittsburgh, Pa.,assigner to Miller Printing Machinery Co., a corporation of PennsylvaniaPittsburgh, Pa.,

Application October 10, 1941, Serial No..414,463

8 Claims. ((1271-62) This invention relates to sheet handling apparatusand particularly to control mechanism for controlling the operation of aportion of such apparatus. The invention relates more particularly tomeans for rendering inoperative sheet raising means such as a pilesupport.

While in its broadest aspects the invention is not so limited, it isparticularly applicable to sheet feeding apparatus and will be describedas embodied in a sheet feeder. A sheet feeder commonly employs a pilesupport upon which restsa pile of sheets to be fed and means for takingthe sheets from the top of the pile and feeding them to a press or thelike. The sheets may be taken and fed either singly and individually orin overlapped relation. As the sheets are taken from the top of the pilethe pile support is slowly and periodically raised whereby to maintainthe top over, I employ an extremely simple apparatus which cantefabricated at low cost yet which is highly reliable and may be operatedfor long periods without requiring adjustment or repair.

I preferably employ means including an electric motor for raising thepile support in a feeder.

A switchmay be provided in the motor circuit l for stopping the motor. Ipreferably employ a of the pile of sheets at the proper height fortaking of sheets therefrom by the taking means. Means are also commonlyprovided for rapidly raising and/or lowering the pile support. A feederof the type broadly described' in this paragraph is shown, for example`in copending application Serial No. 395,137.

The present invention has to do primarily with the means for controllingthe 4means for rapidly raising and/or lowering the pile support. Perhapsthe most important function of such control means is to stop the rapidraising of the pile support when the top of the -pile is at the properheight for the taking of sheets therefrom by the taking means. If thepile support is not stopped at the proper time, not only may the top ofthe pile rise to too high a point, but there is danger of jamming anddamage to the feeder and the sheets. Various proposals have been madefor stoppingthe rapid raising of the pile support at at the proper time.Some of these have not proved to be sufficiently reliable or accurateand others have been unduly complicated. Moreover, most of the priorattempts to vbring about satisfactory and controlled stopping of theraising of the pile support'have involved the employment of a controlmember resting upon the top of the pile intermediate the edges thereofand interfering with the taking of sheets therefrom.

I provide apparatus for controlling the stopping of the raising of thepile support in a sheet feeder or the like whereby the pile support maybestopped at a predetermined point fwith great accuracyl and withouthaving any portion of such control apparatus engaging the top of thepile intermediate the edges thereof whereby to interfere with the takingof sheets therefrom. Moretiltable switch and desirably a mercury switchwhich is reliable and accurate and may be used for a very long timewithout necessity of adjustment or repair. I preferably provide meansfor tilting the mercury switch to open the motor circuit when the pilesupport reaches the height at which the top of the pile is positioned sothat sheets may be taken therefrom by the taking means for feeding to apress or the like. For this purpose I prefer to use a slidable operatingrod. Such rod is preferably resiliently urged in one direction as by aspring and is adapted to be moved in the opposite Adirection against theaction of the spring to tilt the mercury switch to open the motorcircuit when the pile support has reached the desired elevation.

I preferably control the operation of the switch by the pile itself. Ipreferably employ a control member engaging an upper edge of the pile.This leaves the top of the pile free of any member engaging itintermediate its edges which may interfere with proper taking of thesheets therefrom. Desirably the control member which engages the pile isin' the form of an inclined cam pr follower member so mounted that asthe pile rises it engages an inclined face of such member and graduallycams the member back away from the pile until when the top of the pileis at the desired elevation the upper extremity of the operative face ofsuch member is disposed at substantially the height of the top of thepile. When a, tiltable mercury switch and slidable control rod areemployed the cam member is preferably connected with the end of thecontrol rod and is j erating mechanism as viewed from' the rear ofFigure 3.

. Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is shown asheet feeder designated generally by reference numeral 2 and employing aframe 3 in which the operative parts as mounted. The frame 3 carriesbearings 4 in which are rotatably mounted two horizontal longitudinallyextending shafts 5, one adjacent and parallel toeach side of the frame,the shaftsbeing parallel to each other. spaced sprockets 8,. Disposedabout each sprocket 8 and extending downwardly therefrom is a sprocketchain 1. Each sprocket chain 'l passes about a bottom guide (not shown)at the base of the feeder. Thus there are four pairs of cooperatingsprockets and guides, each pair having a. sprocket chain trainedthereabout. Two of the chains are disposed at one side of the feeder andthe other two are disposed at the opposite side. Each chain is directlyopposed to one 'oi' the chains at the other side. i

Connected with and. extending between the two chains 'l at each side oi'the feeder are vthree bars 8 equally spaced along the chains. a thedriving sprockets il at each side of the feeder areiixed to the sameshaft and all four driving sprockets are identical the chains will beoperated synchronously by means presently to be described and the bars cwill move with the chains. There is shown a, pile carrier or supportwhich is designated by reference numeral -9 and comprises a wooden topI8 and four legs I I connected therewith. The length ofthe top I of thepile carrier 9 is slightly less than the transverse distance between theinner reaches of the chains 1 as shown in Figure 2. A pile carrier isadapted to be introduced to the feeder at the bottom thereof and to beset upon the floor to be picked up by the bars 8, as will presently bedescribed. All of the chains are adapted to be driven upwardly,outwardly, downwardly and inwardly viewing Figure 2. Thus when the pilecarrier 9 Each shaft carries a pair ofv Since of the sheets of the upperpile have been fed the upper carrier may be quickly lifted out and thepile of sheets on the lower carrier may be quickly raised to bring thetop sheet of such pile into feeding position. The whole operation may beperformed in a few seconds so that there is no appreciable delay.

Extending transversely of the feeder and journaled in the frame 3 is ashaft I4. Such shaft flxedly carries two worms I5 of the same size andpitch but of opposite hand. Each of the shafts 5' flxedly carries a wormwheel I6 meshing with one of the worms I5. Thus'rotatio'n of the shaftI4 in one direction turns the shafts 5 to move the inner reaches of thechains 'l upwardly and rotationv of the shaft I4 in the oppositedirection turns the shafts 5 to move the inner reaches of the chains 1downwardly.

Fixed to the shaft I4 outside the frame is a sprocket I1. Fixed to theframe is a bracket I8 carrying a shaft I9. Fixed to the shaft I9 is asprocket 2n which is in longitudinal alignment with the sprocket I'I. Asprocket chain 2i meshes with the sprockets I1 and 20. Since the sprock-'2 et I'I is fixed to the shaft I4 and the sprocket 20 is fixed to theshaft I9, turning of the shaft i9 in one direction results in raising ofa pile carrier carried by the chains 1, and turning of the shaft I9 inthe opposite direction results in lowering of a pile carrier carried bythe chains 7.

The feeder is provided with oscillatory means for raising the pilecarrier in the feeder while the press is in operation. Such oscillatorymeans may be driven from the press drive and may be of knownconstruction and provided with known control mechanism for insuring thatthe top of the pile in the feeder remains substantially at apredetermined height. An oscillating rod 22 may bc operated by the pressdrive and through a pawl and ratchet turns the shaft I9 periodicallyduring operation of the press to maintain the top of the pile at theproper elevation for the feeding of sheets therefrom.

Rotatabiy mounted onthe shaft I9 is a sprocket The hand wheel may turnthe shaft I9 in either is positioned upon the floor in the spacedetermined by the four chains itwill upon operation of the feederautomatically be picked up by the opposed bars 8. The bars on therespective chains are, as above indicated, arranged so that they willmove upwardly in transversely aligned pairs.

The inner reaches of the chains I are held against outward displacementby vertical guides I2 which lie between the inner and outer reachesdirection.

The oscillating rod 22 and its connections as above described can turnthe shaft I9 only in a direction to raise the pile support. This is truealso of the motor 21. -When the motor 2l is operated the pawl 25connected with the sprocket 23 turns the shaft I9 continuously in adirection to raise the carrier.

The mechanism thus far specifically described may be to all intents andpurposes the same as that disclosed in said copending application SerialNo. 395,137. Sheets are. taken from the top of a pile of sheets carriedby the pile support or carrier 9 by suckers 32 which have a generallyvertically oscillatory movement as known in the art. The portion of thefeeder which advances the sheets toward the press or the like may be asdisclosed in copending application Serial No.

319,862comprising cooperating generally horizontally oscillatablecarriers which sequentially advance the sheets to the press or the like.However, the structure of such portion of the feeder 2,372,229 forms nopart of the present invention. The

suckers raise the sheets one by one from the top of the pile and deliverthem to suckers 33 mounted on a generally horizontally oscillatablecarrier which advances the sheets toward the press or the like. Theoperation of the generally horizontallyoscillatable carrier and of thesucky that is, although the suckers 32 partake of limited generallyvertically oscillatory movement and are alsoadjustable within limitsthey are always disposed at approximately the same elevation so that itis necessary in order that sheets may be taken from the top of the pileand advanced toward` the press or the like that the top of the pile ofsheets be positioned so that the suckers in theirh normal operationwill' take sheets from the top oi' the pile. Consequently the top of thepile must be just below the suckers 32. Since sheets are continuallybeing removed from the top of the pile the pile support 9 moves upwardlygraduallyythisvbeing accomplished by the oscillatory mechanism operatingthrough the oscillating rod 22. When, however, it is desired to raisethe pile support quickly from a position in which the top of the pile isspaced appreciably below the suckers 32 to a position in which suchsuckers will take sheets from the top of the pile Lthe motor 21 and itsconnections as above .described are utilized. When the motor circuit isclosed and the motor operates the pile support is raised rapidly. It isimportant when this is done to insure against upward movement of thepile support beyond the point desired at which the suckers 32 may takesheets from the top of the pile, as further movement might result indamage to the feeder and to the sheets and also would impair properfeeding. On the other hand, it is" ytal pivot 35 a mercury switch 35.The mercury switch 36 is of the tiltable `time andmay per se be of any'desired construction.` It contains a quantity of mercury and twocontacts. are connected with the switch so that when it is in oneangular position the mercury makes contact be tween such contacts andwhen it is in another angular position the mercury moves away from atleast one of the contacts and the circuit is opened. The leads to thecontacts are shown at 31 and 38 and are preferably connected so that themercury switch 36 is in the circuit of the motor 21. A

suitable manually operable switch (not shown) may be employed forinitially closing the circuit. A stop pin 331s connected with thebracket 34 and the mercury switch casing 40 rests against such pin whenthe switch is in closed position as shown in Figures 3 and 5. A controlrod 4I is pivoted to a portion 42 of the switch casing at 43. The rod 4Iis slidably received withina form of an inclined cam member or followerwill operate.

the inner end of the rod 4I is a shoe 43 in the and which as the pilerises is adapted to engage an upper edge of the pile. A coil spring 46is interposed between a portion of the frame and the shoe 43 and tendsat all times to urge the shoe toward the right viewing Figure 3 and thusto maintain the switch casing against the pin 39 and hold the switch inclosed position. The shoe 43 is shown in full lines in Figure 3 in theposition which it assumes before the top of the pile has risen intocontact with it. The shoe has a lower upwardly and inwardly inclinedportion 41 and an upper upwardly and outwardly inclined portion 43, suchportions merging into a rounded connecting portion 43. 'I'he lfunctionof the portion 43 is to insure against interference with advance of thesheets by the control mechanism for stopping the motor 21 when the pilehas reached the desired height.

When the pile support is to be raised rapidly the manual switch forclosing the circuit to the and 5 so that upon closing of the manualswitch the motor circuit will be closed andthe motor This willresult inrapid upward movement of the pile support 9 with the pile of sheetsthereon. An upper edge of the pile of sheets willengage the portion 41of the shoe 45 and due to theinclination of such portion will cam theshoe outwardly or in a direction toward the left viewing Figure 3 fromthe full line posi- Y tion oi the shoe toward the chain line positiontion indicated bythe line A in Figure 3 the switch thereof viewing suchgure. This in turn causes will have been tiltedto the pointthat themotor circuit will be opened, thus stopping the motor and discontinuinglupward movement. of the pile support. At such time the shoe 4'5 engagesthe upper edge oi' thev pile mainly laterally so that sheetscan be takenfrom the top of the pile withlout interference by the control means..

" Ordinarily after the pile has been raised until its top is at theproper height for the taking bore 44 in the frame, passing through suchbore toward the position of the top of the pile of sheets carried by thepile support 9. Connected with of sheets therefrom by the suckers 32'the manual switch for controlling the motor y21 will be opened so thatthe 'control mechanism shown.

in Figure 3 will thereafter be inoperative until such manual switch isagain closed.v From this point on the automatic pile raising andcontrolling mechanism as known in the art will be employed. However, itis possible by the use of my control mechanism as shown in Figure 3 todispense entirely with the oscillatory pile raising and controlmechanism and to employ only the motor and its connections for raisingthe pile support together with the switch 38 and the controlmeans foroperating it. Thus when the manual switch is closed and the pile israised until its top reaches the line A in Figure 3 the switch 36 istilted to open position. It will remain in this position while thesuckers 32 remove sheets from the top of the pile until enough sheetshave been removed so that the shoe 45 moves toward the right viewingFigure 3 sufiiciently to tilt the switch 36 until it again closes.

Such closing of 'the switch will cause the motor 21 to operate to raisethe pile support until the shoe 45 is again cammed back to open theswitch. Thus my control mechanism, which is extremely cheap and simplein construction and operation. may be substituted for the expensive andcomplicated automatic control mechanism which has heretofore beenemployed for insuring maintenance of the top of the pile of sheets atthe proper height during operation of the feeder:

While I have shown and described a present preferred embodiment of theinvention it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is notlimited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied within the scopeof the following claims.A

I claim: f

l. Sheet handling apparatus comprising a pile support, means for raisingthe support and means including means adapted to be engaged by an upperedge of the pile when such edge rises to a predetermined height and tobe moved thereby rectilineariy transversely of the direction of move- Oment of the support for rendering said first mentoned means inoperative.y,

2. Sheet handling apparatus comprising a pile support, means for raisingthe support and means for rendering said first mentioned meansinoperative upon raising of the support to a predetermined height, saidlast mentioned means com..

.prising an inclined follower member arranged to for rendering saidfirst mentioned means inoperative upon raising of the support to apredetermined height, said last mentioned means comprlsing an inclinedfollower member adapted to be engaged by an upper edge of the pile andto be cammed laterally'thereby, a slldable operating rod operated bysaid follower member and a tiltable mercury or like switch operated bysaid rod.

6. Sheet feeding apparatus comprising a, pile support, means for raisingthe support, means including a tiltable mercury switch for rendering theraising means inoperative upon raising there by of the pile support to aheight such that taking means 'will take sheets from the top of the pileand control means for operating said second mentioned means, the controlmeans including a cam member normally resiliently urged in onedirectionand cammed in the opposite direction as the pile supportapproaches said heightand connections between the cam member and thetiltable mercury switch for tilting the switch upon camming of the cammember.

7. Sheet feeding apparatus comprising a pile support, meansI forrai/sing the support, meansy including a tiltable mercury switch forrendering the raising means inoperative upon raising there. by of thepile support to a height such that taking means will take sheets fromthe top of the pilek and control means for operating said secondmentioned means, the control means includingv a cam member normallyresiliently urged in one direction and adapted to engage the pile to becammed in the opposite direction as the pile support approaches saidheight and means connected support, means for raising the support, anelec- 4. Sheet handling apparatus comprising a pile be engaged by anupper edge of the pile and to be cammed laterally thereby and a switchoperated by said follower member.

5. Sheet handling apparatus comprising al pile support, means forraising the support and means tric motor for operating the raisingmeans, means including a tiltable mercury switch in the motor circuitfor rendering the motor inoperative upon raising by the raising means ofthe pile support to a height such that taking means will take sheetsfrom the top of the pile and control means for operating said secondmentioned means, the

control means including a cam member adapted to engage an upper edge ofthe pile to be actuated thereby and connections between the cam memberandthe tiltable mercury switch for tilt- Lug the switch upon actuationof the cam mem- JOSEPH SINKOVITZ.

